Andy Byford Quits: 'This Changes Everything'

Train Daddy has left the station [View this email in your browser]( Andy Byford Is Quitting. What Now? Plus: We commuted for an entire day with a wheelchair user who's determined to make public transit work for her. NYPD officers are leaving to become MTA cops because the pay is better. And cycling enthusiast LeBron James is giving teens free Citi Bike memberships. By [James Ramsay](mailto:james@wnyc.org?subject=We%20the%20Commuters) Marc A. Hermann/MTA Technically, New York City Transit President Andy Byford [will keep the title]( until the MTA names a successor. And City Council Speaker Corey Johnson [is begging Byford to stay](. But it looks like he's leaving for good, after [allegedly balking at a resignation]( a few months ago. Today, Byford publicly released [his resignation letter]( in which he said he's particularly proud of the Fast Forward plan, and the "unprecedented funding from Governor Cuomo and [the] Legislature to proceed and to give New Yorkers the world class transit system they deserve." One obvious concern: Now that Byford is leaving, will we get the world class transit system we deserve? As the [Signal Problems]( newsletter pointed out last January, what ultimately turned the subways around was not just an emergency influx of cash, but a renewed focus on "operational basics" and actually running the trains better. Byford was central to that change in priorities. The [New York Times reports]( that Sally Librera, Byford's top lieutenant and a respected technocrat who currently leads the subway division, is a likely successor. But in addition to Byford's chops as a beyond-competent transit operator — in his previous job, he was credited with [turning around Toronto's transit system]( — Byford's success has largely been rooted in his personality, and ability to boost morale. [Transit workers]( love him. ("It's unbelievable," MTA head of buses Craig Ciprano [said today](. "This changes everything.") Transit enthusiasts loved him enough to make [stickers with his face on it](. [City politicians]( long frustrated with Albany's control of the MTA, loved him. And maybe most importantly, he was willing to throw himself in front the haters and take responsibility for New York City's public transit system, after generations of finger-pointing and byzantine structuring turned the MTA into an organization that shielded any particular individual from blame. Just last week, at a packed meeting in Jackson Heights about proposed changes to the Queens bus network, Andy Byford literally [stuck himself in the middle]( of an sea of angry riders. The actual catalyst for his resignation may have to do with the type of technology used in a major re-signaling effort, something [he'd clashed with Gov. Cuomo]( about several times. It's reportedly what pushed him to quit last October, before he then changed his mind. MTA Chair Pat Foye [said]( today — during the MTA board meeting when news of this broke — that Byford resigned for "personal reasons." And [Byford's own staff]( found out about this from the same [Politico article]( that the rest of us saw. "I think Andy Byford is a good man," Cuomo said today. "I think he’s done a lot of good over his two years. Fundamentally the way the MTA operates is they have a very strong team, and they’ve gotten stronger." For transit insiders and regular commuters alike, Byford was more than "a good man" — he was the man. It's unclear if the team at NYC Transit will be able to carry out the rest of Byford's vision, especially if this resignation [kills the MTA's ability to attract top talent](. — For updates as this story develops, [continue reading on Gothamist](. I Spent A Day With One Woman Who Uses A Wheelchair — And Takes The Subway All Over The City Amy Pearl For all the talk about New York City’s lack of accessible transit, Katherine Valdez, who uses a wheelchair because of a spinal cord injury, moved to New York largely because of the subway. "I used to live in Ecuador, and Ecuador is not accessible at all,” she said. "My family and I figured out that there is no future for me there. So we moved to this country, to have a better future." Valdez, who's 26, lives in Jamaica, Queens; she has a 9-to-5 job at a city agency in Long Island City; she rows and handycles competitively, and regularly works out in Central Park; and on the day we commuted together, she had to pick up some new boots at the Macy's in Herald Square. Taking Access-a-Ride or cabs everywhere would be impractical, and way too expensive. She needs the subway to work for her. Amy Pearl As part of our We The Commuters series on accessibility in the transit system, I tagged along to see how she pulls it off. One crucial component: She constantly checks elevator service updates on her phone, to make sure she'll be able to get from the street to the mezzanine to the subway platform, and back up again. When one elevator goes out of service, she has to come up with a plan B. On the day we spent together (you guessed it!) we had to go with plan B. [Here's what happened](. What gets in the way of making your commute fully accessible? As We The Commuters looks into your questions about accessibility, we’re building a Visual Checklist to send to the MTA. Here’s what we want: Send us a picture of the bumps, blocks, and design flaws that make your commute inaccessible. Also include a few words about you and your accessibility needs. Send us an email at WeTheCommuters@wnyc.org. We’ll compile your entries and share it with the MTA. This Week's News From Gothamist and WNYC Stephen Nessen/Gothamist Now six months in, Mayor de Blasio's plan to help homeless people in the subway system doesn't seem to be working. The gist of the program: Homeless people violating some kind of transit rule are [given the option of either receiving a summons or going to a shelter](. The mayor's office doesn't have data about whether it's working, but the NYPD says 60 percent of the people approached chose the summons. City Councilmember Donovan Richards said in a hearing this week, "If all we’re doing is giving them a choice between a summons they can’t pay and a shelter they don’t believe is safe, how can we believe we are doing them any favors?" Gov. Cuomo announced this week that he'll legalize e-scooters and all e-bikes this year if his budget is passed unscathed. His proposal is similar to the bill he vetoed last year, except [it requires operators of e-bikes that travel up to 25 mph to wear helmets]( (all commercial cyclists in New York City are already required to wear helmets). The bill, which could become law by April 1st, would also require e-scooter riders under 18 to wear helmets, and e-scooter share companies would not be allowed to operate in Manhattan. Two executives from an MTA contractor — and one former Metro-North employee — have been indicted for their part in a bid-rigging scheme. James Berlangero, a former contract manager with Metro-North Railroad, [allegedly took $70,000 in bribes]( (plus other favors) in exchange for granting more than $10 million in contracts to WRS Environmental Services. The company received contracts for, among other things, transporting contaminated soil during Sandy recovery. The MTA says it's now freezing any open contracts with WRS. A bedbug sighting inside a Queens subway control tower ravaged evening commutes on Wednesday. According to the MTA, the management team was notified of a possible infestation inside the Forest Hills - 71st Avenue Continental Master Control Tower yesterday afternoon. The tower was subsequently fumigated, [forcing workers to evacuate for a few hours](. In turn, that snarled service throughout much of the Queens Boulevard line. What Else We're Reading At least 125 cops have left the NYPD to become MTA officers because the pay is better and they'll get more days off. "It's approximately $15,000 more," one new MTA officer said. "It's huge." Some MTA board members have questioned why the agency is hiring 500 new police officers, when a) they're cutting thousands of other jobs for budgetary reasons, and b) the NYPD already patrols the subway system. ([The Wall Street Journal]( The MTA announced on Monday that buses move faster when there are enforcement cameras for the bus lanes. Travel speeds are up on three select bus service lines with cameras used to ticket drivers blocking the bus lane. And speeds are up 55% on the M14 line, which runs along the nearly-car-free 14th Street busway. ([Streetsblog]( LeBron James, in a partnership between his own company and Lyft, is giving free Citi Bike memberships to New York City teens. The Lakers star and [noted bike enthusiast]( made the announcement on Tuesday at the YMCA on West 135th Street in Harlem. During the event, he also endorsed the installation of more bike lanes. ([Patch]( A New York Times reporter dropped her AirPod in a subway grate and lived to write about (and [tell Brian Lehrer about]( successfully getting it back. An important lesson here: The MTA may not solve all your problems immediately, but if you call 511 and have a little patience, the agency will help you! ([The New York Times]( The Great Gangway Debate MTA The MTA has released [a sneak peek of the new "open gangway"-style cars]( that are coming to the lettered lines and the Staten Island Railway in 2021 and may eventually spread throughout the entire subway system. These cars will also have wider doors — which should make getting on and off easier — as well as new grab rails and brighter lighting and graphics. But the exciting (or infuriating?) part is obviously the accordion-like open passageway between cars, which will allow riders (and scents) to travel freely throughout the entire train. Some commuters, including those who've ridden [open-gangway trains in other countries]( seem excited. Others have [concerns](. Let us know where you stand: We're wethecommuters@wnyc.org and @WeTheCommuters on Twitter. Weekend Service Changes: Night of January 24th – Early Morning on January 27th This is a partial list of major service disruptions scheduled for the weekend. For a complete list of the MTA's Weekender updates, [check here](. train service between Dyckman St and 137 St in Manhattan will be replaced by and trains and free shuttle buses. Pelham Bay Park-bound trains will skip Brook Av, Cypress Av, E 143 St, E 149 St and Longwood Av in the Bronx. train service between Euclid Av, Brooklyn and Lefferts Blvd, Queens will be replaced by free shuttle buses. On Saturday and Sunday, Downtown trains will skip 50 St, 23 St and Spring St in Manhattan. World Trade Center-bound trains will run via the line from 47-50 Sts to W 4 St. On Saturday and Sunday, Manhattan-bound trains will skip 30 Av, Broadway, 36 Av and 39 Av in Queens. On Saturday and Sunday, Uptown trains will skip Prince St, 8 St, 23 St, 28 St and 49 St in Manhattan. [Check here]( for complete details about the Long Island Rail Road. For NJ Transit, [check here]( for the latest service advisories. Upcoming Meetings and Events Thursday, January 23rd Queens Bus Network Redesign Workshop Queens Educational Opportunity Center, Jamaica — 6:00 p.m. [Check here]( for more information on all the Queens Bus Network Redesign meetings. Monday, February 24th Joint Metro-North & LIRR Committee Meeting — 8:30 a.m. NYC Transit / MTA Bus Committee Meeting — 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 26th MTA Board Meeting — 9:00 a.m. Registration for two-minute public speaking slots opens 15 minutes before the start time for official MTA committee meetings. To speak before an MTA board meeting, you must register 30 minutes early. All meetings are held in the MTA's Board Room at 2 Broadway, on the 20th Floor. James Ramsay is just saying: LeBron James could make a good transit chief. (Photo by Amy Pearl) Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential transportation coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2020 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](